Adalard (or Adelard)

Adalard (Or Adelard), a monk, was born about 753, and was the son of Count Bernard and cousin-german of Charlemagne. Invited to court, and fearing the infection of such a life, he, at the age of twenty, became a monk of Corbie, in Picardy, and was at length chosen abbot of the monastery. Forced by his imperial relations to attend court, he still preserved the disposition of a recluse. He was banished, on unjust suspicions, by Louis the Meek to a monastery on the isle of Herie, on the coast of Aquitaine. Five years after, Louis recalled him and heaped upon him the highest honors; but, being still inclined to the life of a recluse he obtained leave to return to Corbie. Here, and at another monastery called New Corbie, he devoted himself to the spiritual and intellectual welfare of the monks. He died in 827. His principal work was a Treatise on the French Monarchy; but only fragments of any of his works have come down to us. See Biog. Universelle, s.v.; Milner, Church Hist. iii, 257; Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.; Landon, Eccles. Dict. s.v.